Wellness Shouldn’t Be a Luxury: How We Fail the Drivers Who Keep Us Moving
.jpg)
Long-haul drivers are the invisible backbone of our economy—moving goods across cities, states, and regions to keep shelves stocked, hospitals supplied, and local businesses running. Yet despite their essential role, they’re often treated as expendable.
Their wellness is too often viewed as a luxury they haven’t earned—instead of a basic human right they deserve.
The Hidden Costs of Life on the Road
Drivers face punishing conditions every day: long hours, erratic sleep, sedentary routines, and limited access to healthy food. Chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, and sleep apnea are common.
And the mental toll? Isolation, homesickness, anxiety, and depression—magnified by time away from loved ones and a culture that says “tough it out.”
Wellness isn’t abstract here. For truckers, it’s life or death behind the wheel.
The Catch-22 of Virtual Care
Telehealth is often touted as a game-changer—but for drivers, it’s not that simple. Most doctors are only licensed to treat patients in-state.
That means if a driver’s doctor is licensed in Texas but they’re parked in Arizona? No care. Even virtually.
Truckers cross state lines daily. This outdated licensing system isn’t just inconvenient—it’s dangerous. It discourages consistent care and leads drivers to delay or skip treatment altogether.
What Happens When a Driver Gets Sick?
In most cases, they’re labeled “out of service.”
That may sound bureaucratic, but the human cost is brutal. Sick drivers risk:
Lost pay
Disciplinary action
Being stranded hours from home
No food, bathroom access, or urgent care nearby
Pressure to “push through” instead of rest
Many companies simply replace the load and leave the driver parked—alone, unwell, in a truck stop.
This isn’t how you treat a workforce. It’s how you burn one out.
The Role of NIMBYs: Silent Violence in Action
It’s easy to blame policy or corporate indifference—but we also have to look in the mirror.
Across the country, communities fight against rest stops, freight hubs, truck parking, and overnight zones. Why? “Noise,” “traffic,” or “the type of people” they think drivers are.
This NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) pushes drivers—literally and figuratively—to the margins.
Here's what it causes:
🚫 Blocked infrastructure
Permits for rest areas or truck parking are denied, forcing drivers to sleep on shoulders or unsafe lots.
🧼 Clean image zoning
Communities reject anything that feels “blue-collar,” reinforcing the idea that drivers are dirty or undesirable.
🚓 Criminalized rest
Drivers get ticketed for parking where there are no alternatives.
🧠 Stigma and dehumanization
NIMBYism reinforces the idea that drivers are “others,” not professionals, not neighbors, not deserving of dignity.
This Is a Systemic Failure—And a Wake-Up Call
We can’t talk about supply chain resilience without talking about people. When a driver breaks down—physically or mentally—the system breaks down too.
A human-centered freight system would prioritize:
✅ Portable healthcare that travels with drivers
✅ Cross-state telehealth access
✅ Protected sick leave
✅ Safe, clean, medically equipped rest stops
✅ Employer incentives tied to wellness—not just mileage
Wellness Is Not a Bonus. It’s the Bare Minimum.
Transportation companies, local governments, and communities all have a role to play. Because wellness shouldn’t be negotiable—it should be standard.
And NIMBYs? They must be held accountable for their part in this.
Drivers aren’t the problem—our denial is.
If we want stocked shelves, safe roads, and functioning cities, we have to support the people who deliver them.
Platforms where logistics, policy, and purpose meet™
https://www.facebook.com/DrivenByValerie
